The Best Podcasts of 2015

Even if you are not a devoted fan of podcasts, odds are you at least know about Serial. When the world’s most talked about audio show went on hiatus for most of 2015—finally coming back in December to go over the case surrounding Bowe Bergdahl—it left a void that other programs filled with amazing stories.

Perfect for a car trip or a long solo run, these podcasts are some of the best of 2015, as selected by the editors and writers of Runner’s World.

Hidden Brain

Fans of NPR’s Morning Edition know Shankar Vedantam as the science correspondent who comes in and riffs on the latest, most fascinating social science research. This year, Vedantam finally got his own podcast. It’s usually pretty short—between 20 and 30 minutes—but always interesting. Vedantam has a gift for explaining research in layman’s terms and in a way that shows how the findings apply to everyday life.

Suggested Episode: Episode 9, Aziz Ansari on Modern Love (listen here). Vedantam brings on the comedian/actor to discuss the book Ansari wrote (with sociologist Eric Klinenberg) about dating and romance in the age of Tinder, text messages, and more options than ever before. —Meghan Kita, senior editor

Ari Shaffir’s Skeptic Tank

You may know him from his Comedy Central series This Is Not Happening or his handful of standup specials. Comedian Ari Shaffir offers a slightly different approach to the NPR-style format by being not suitable for work in his interviews. He’ll talk to fellow comedians about everything from working as a dog walker to serving time in prison. He’s not afraid to tackle serious issues as well, having spoken with a 9/11 first responder and interviewing his own father about his experience in the Holocaust. It’s very funny, at times thought provoking, and always unpredictable.

Suggested Episode: Episode 224, Take Me Out to the Ball Game (listen here). Shaffir attends a Yankees game with fellow comedian Paul Morrissey. This podcast was recorded on the subway en route to a Yankees game and at the game itself. The topic of discussion is the surroundings: the excitement of heading to a game, interacting with fans seated around them, and sharing baseball memories. —Derek Call, junior video producer

99% Invisible

Host Roman Mars tackles seemingly mundane objects, the 99 percent of stuff you probably don’t notice, like airport carpet or cement buildings, and examines how and why they affect our everyday lives. This is a little show packed with “Did you knows?” As in, after a recent run while listening to the podcast, I sidled up to my roommate and said, “Did you know Monopoly was designed to promote a socialist economy?” 99% Invisible purports to be a show about design, but because everything has to be designed at some point, that’s what this show is about—pretty much everything.

Suggested Episode: No. 186, War and Pizza (listen here). This is one of my recent favorites. Did you know the army is currently developing shelf stable pizza that can last up to three years? You’ll learn how food in your household’s pantry has developed over the years for your everyday convenience. —Kit Fox, reporter

Mystery Show

Consider this a Serial-lite podcast—only you won’t have to wait weeks for a satisfying conclusion. Host Starlee Kine puts on her own investigator’s hat to solve random mysteries out in the world. A veteran producer of This American Life, Kine has the voice and writing chops to keep you enthralled in these odd whodunits, such as the real height of actor Jake Gyllenhaal (she finally gets him on the phone to reveal the truth) or why someone would put “ILUV911” on a license plate. Even the reads on advertisements are captivating.

Suggested Episode: No. 3, Belt Buckle (listen here). One man has had a unique belt buckle that has a breakfast theme, including a toaster with small pieces of toast that pop out when you flick a switch. Kine tries to track down the true origins behind the belt. —Brian Dalek, associate digital editor

Love + Radio

Listening to L+R is like parachuting into someone's life without any background or map. The show is non-fiction and non-narrated, so it often takes a while to figure out where you’ve landed. But make no mistake: The experience almost always pays off. Sometimes you’ll find yourself with a man who’s had a wire pierce his brain. In another episode, you’ll end up hanging out with a Humiliatrix, and in another, a complicated Norwegian illusionist. L+R’s award-winning episode “The Living Room,” about a woman who watched her neighbor’s life dramatically change through her apartment’s back window, was picked up by Radiolab earlier this year. The show is haunting, startling, and personal, so much so that L+R urges you to listen with headphones on. I’d add that it’s best consumed alone.

Suggested episode: Greetings From Coney Island (listen here): This episode weaves together two seemingly unrelated stories. Its central mystery revolves around an absent fiancé and a mysterious string of letters sent to the present from 1938. —Rachel Swaby, contributing writer

StartUp

I love podcasts, and I have no idea how you actually get a business off the ground, so StartUp was the perfect new addiction. It’s compelling because you don’t have to care about the actual product (the podcast or company) to appreciate the process of what it’s like to put your idea (a.k.a. your soul) out into the world and try to make a living off it. With each episode you learn more about honing an idea, finding investors and partners, hiring staff, and figuring out how to be profitable. Not to mention the impact going out on a financial limb has on your family, your marriage, and your peace of mind.

Suggested episode: Season 1 (listen here). To understand the process of how Alex Blumberg got his company off the ground, you have to listen to it all. It’s the process that I loved, learning about each piece and how it fits into the big picture/goal. —Christine Fennessy, articles editor

BackStory

If you’re at all interested in American history or how past events might frame current cultural discussions, this is a good one. Hosted by history professors from the University of Virginia and the University of Richmond, each specializing in a different century of American history, the podcast explores a wide range of topics—everything from consumerism to populism to disability—and dusts off fascinating, often obscure historical vignettes to connect current issues to past events. They professors are good storytellers, and you can pass an hour in a hurry listening to it.

Suggested episode: American Prophets: Religions Born in the U.S. (listen here). It’s the holidays, so a good starting point might be a recent episode about U.S.-born religions. The episode finds a way to relate an array of belief systems including Mormonism, Scientology, and the Nation of Islam. —Nick Weldon, contributing writer

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Runner's World participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.